Immunity for the victors. Austrlian Prime Minister John Howard has advised the UN's Kofi Annan that all talk about the legality of the Iraq invasion should cease because the "coalition" prevailed and is now in charge. Not surprisingly, this follows the U.S. line of thinking as Howard meets with Bush for the divvying-up. As Richard Phillips of the WSWS notes, Bush and Howard are now hail fellows well met:

Bush described Howard as "a man of courage", a "clear thinker", "a man of steel", "a man of heart" and "kinda like a Texan".

Howard reciprocated a day later in New York, proclaiming Bush to be "a highly intelligent man who has knowledge of world affairs" and "very committed to the peace process".

An adequate response to this mutual lionisation would require the skills of a Jonathan Swift or Mark Twain.

By praising your accomplice, you forgive yourself.